How a Marine Sanctuary Protects Sea Life: Science, Education and Enforcement

Drawing a line around part of the ocean does not protect it on its own. National marine sanctuaries rely on a combination of tools — science, education and enforcement — each doing a different part of the job.

National marine sanctuaries use a range of tools to understand and protect marine resources. Credit: NOAA.

Science first

Sanctuary staff do research at every sanctuary site and use it to understand the marine environment better. That knowledge is the basis of any effective protection strategy.

Education

Protecting marine resources also takes a public that understands and values them, so every sanctuary site runs education programs. People who know how to behave in the environment avoid damaging it — and help spread the main conservation messages.

Rules and permits

Sanctuaries use a permit system to regulate and oversee activities that could cause harm. State and other federal laws and regulations can strengthen that framework. The legal foundation is the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, together with laws and regulations for each site, which set out what is allowed and what is prohibited.

Enforcement that teaches

One important tool is "interpretive enforcement": teaching people about responsible behavior so that harm to sanctuary resources is prevented before it happens.

Sources

Based on "How does a sanctuary protect marine life?" from NOAA's National Ocean Service, a work of the United States government in the public domain.